This invention is concerned with storing, metering and dispensing assemblies and more particularly with such assemblies that are used for metering and dispensing granulated materials that are used to prepare or vary the taste of drinks, soups, or the like.
Presently there are many granular material storing, metering and dispensing assemblies. Such dispensing assemblies for example are used in vending machines that sell coffee and/or various soups made from powdered mixes. Also such dispensers are used for example in cafeterias, offices or factories for the individual purchasers to put the desired metered amounts of granulated material into their own coffee cup, tea cup or soup bowl. The presently available dispensers contain metering devices which receive the granular material such as coffee, tea, sugar, powdered soup, powdered cream or the like into a fixed space in the dispenser. The dispenser is then moved from its "metering" position to its "dispensing" position for transferring the fixed amount of powdered material into the cup or the like.
Present day dispensers are adversely effected by the accumulation of the powdered or granulated materials on surfaces of the dispensing assembly which then tend to inhibit the movement of the dispensing assembly. The accumulated material is subjected to the heated vapours of the coffee, soup or the like positioned to receive the dispensed material. The adverse effect is amplified because the vapours cause the unwanted accumulation of powdered or granular materials to solidify.
Another difficulty with the presently available dispensing assemblies is that they are in many cases complicated devices that are difficult and costly to manufacture.
A further problem encountered with prior art storing, metering and dispensing assemblies is that the container of the granulated material positioned for dispensing its material is also subjected to the heated vapours of the liquid into which the powdered material may be dispensed. The heated vapours adversely affect the contents of the containers by solidifying these contents and making it difficult if not impossible to properly operate the dispensing unit as well as ruining the contents of the container and therefore reducing commerical prospects.
Prior art dispensers make use of biasing means to return the dispenser to the normal metering position after the dispensing operation. Such biasing means have been rubber band type devices which do not prove satisfactory because of difficulty in mounting and dismounting such biasing means. Such biasing means are also often unreliable, have short lifetimes and are not satisfactory for automatic assembling during fabrication of the units.
Yet another problem in presently available assemblies is that the mounting brackets for retaining the dispensing devices are parallel sided. Such brackets are unsatisfactory both because of the difficulties of mounting and dismounting the dispensing devices when, for example, it is necessary to replace the dispensing devices, or when it is necessary to clean the apparatus for sanitary reasons, say.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved granular material metering and dispensing assemblies in which the above-referred to disadvantages and problems are substantially reduced or overcome.